How Long Does it Take to Earn an Associate’s Degree Online?

There are plenty of people who want to head back to school for an associate’s degree. They are most likely working at a job they don’t love while dreaming of advancing their careers. This means that when they head back to school, they have to take part-time classes while continuing to work full-time unless they take their courses online. Taking courses online allows students to study and attend college around their schedule, which can include work and family obligations. When a student attends physical classes, an associate’s degree can take 2 years or more.

Types of Degrees Online

A college that offers associate’s degrees will educate you in a number of fields from business to arts to computers to human resources. An associate’s degree can be used to enter a 4-year college later where you can earn a bachelor’s degree in your chosen field too. Associate’s degrees can be obtained for business majors, accounting and journalism professionals. Whether it’s business or liberal arts, the degree obtained online is the same as one received in a traditional classroom as long as the school is accredited.

How Long Does it Take?

In any college course where you’re working towards an associate’s degree, there are classes that are required for graduation. The classes will give you 3-4 credits per class for a total of at least 60 before you can graduate. In some online classes as well as summer courses in a traditional classroom, you can take an accelerated course that means you’ll be finished in a few weeks instead of a few months. Most semesters last a few months, and students can take a few classes each semester depending on the time of the classes. That isn’t true with online classes.

For online classes, you aren’t required to appear in class at a pre-determined time. Each day, there will be assignments or lectures that can be watched any time. That’s one of the biggest advantages of online classes.

What Classes are Required?

Some classes are required, and it doesn’t matter what kind of degree you’re trying to obtain. Math, English and science courses are required for graduation. Each subject requires a certain amount of credit courses per degree. For example, an associate’s degree will require 3 to 6 credits or 1 to 2 classes for graduation.

Test Out of Classes

To cut down on the time before graduation, a student can test out of classes they don’t believe they should have to take. It might be a basic math course, computer science courses or English if the person has experience from their current job. Some students spend a few weeks studying and taking College Level Examination Program, or CLEP, tests to eliminate the need for many courses.

The amount of time needed for you to complete an associate’s degree online will depend on how much time you can devote to your studies as well as how many classes you’d like to take at one time. It could take more or less than the standard 2 years for an associate’s degree, but that all depends on the time you can devote to it and whether you take CLEP tests to get credits for knowledge you already have.